I know that there are a lot of people out there who think Edward Snowden is a hero. They think that under the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” theory.

He’s not.

He’s a traitor who needs to be dealt with as a traitor.

A whistleblower doesn’t go to Red China and then the former Soviet Union to escape “persecution” in the United States. He first goes to the Inspector General of his agency and, then, if that doesn’t work, to the relevant committee in Congress.

If that doesn’t work, he goes to the media and allows himself to be arrested in public so the Feds cannot bury his existence.

Just because it is noble to be a whistleblower doesn’t mean it is without risk, and that’s part of the deal. Snowden apparently would like to believe in civil disobedience but not take any of the personal risks associated with it. How millennial. I question if he can even spell Thoreau and much less if he has actually read the essay.

In a perfect world, you should be able to trust that what your government is telling you happens to be true—that the metadata they are collecting will only be searched if the call is connected up to a bad guy after a judge issues a warrant.

The problem is that nobody trusts the Federal Government to a) tell the truth and; b) not use the data in all sorts of unauthorized ways that would have the effect of taking our rights from us.

It is a sad commentary on the point where we have come to and why, where government is concerned, that which governs least governs best.

All of that said, our modern telecommunications systems are a virtual playground for people who would use them to harm us, both as a nation and individually; and the chances that they will be used in that manner are quite high. Despite our near universal distrust for the Government, it would be governmental malpractice to ignore the possibility.

What to do?

We need to elect public officials who will a) restore our trust in the Government , and; b) come down hard on individuals and agencies who abuse the information.

That, I can assure you, does not describe the current administration.

A good start would be throwing everybody at the Internal Revenue Service who participated in last year’s scandal into prison.

The sad situation is that until we can trust our government not to abuse the information it probably needs to keep us safe, we can’t trust them with the information.

Think about it.

Do you trust Eric Holder to prosecute those who would abuse that information? Do you trust his Department of so-called Justice to prosecute the very people who have not yet even been charged (and in all probability will never be charged) in the IRS scandals?

However, all of that distrust doesn’t make Snowden a hero.

Frankly, I’d like some insight into how a little flake like Snowden could get access to our most secret programs.

Or, to put it another way, would you trust a creep like Snowden with that information any more than the NSA? Or Barack Obama?

I don’t think so.

The truth is that Snowden didn’t really tell us anything new. Most tech savvy people know that the capability was there because Google, Apple, and Microsoft have it. Not to mention Citicorp, Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo. It’s just that we seem to trust those guys a hell of a lot more than we trust our Government. Which is really scary.

Comments

Our government is completely corrupt and so are the courts and the media. Your LaLa Land itemization of what Snowden should have done would be argued against strenuously by people like Breibart, just to name one of many who tried that path. Most people in the NSA knew/know what was/is going on. A clear sign of a bunch of non patriotic, self centered COWARDS. Snowden IS a hero because he knew this would cost him his life one way or the other. At least HE did something. What have YOU done lately? One last thought, the fact that Snowden has sanctuary in Russia speaks volumes that our government is so bad, that Russia looks good. When is the last time YOU went out on a limb..?

This is my take on Snowden.
He is neither a hero nor a traitor. He is a welcomed whistleblower. I understand why he fled to a foreign country. I also understand why he went to China/Russia.
Before you attempt to chastise me, hear me out.

Snowden is no hero. He did not do an extraordinary act that saved lives. All he did was expose Big Brother's spying on Americans. That leads me to he is no traitor.
Snowden is no traitor. He exposed illegal and unconstitutional acts committed by Big Brother on Americans.
He is a whistleblower.

We have already seen what happens to whistleblowers under this 'administration'. We've seen what they do to who they decide is going to be a scapegoat for their blunders. Think Benghazi and the video creator. We also saw the attack and degradation of Mr. Hicks. The brave man who came forward to tell the truth on Benghazi. A TRUE whistleblower.
Why China and/or Russia? What other country would not allow extradition? What other country would not allow obama to hide Snowden away and discredit all the information he is giving us?

Snowden has not release 'national security' secrets. He has done nothing to hurt America's standing. He could have, but he didn't. He only let Americans know what was happening behind our backs.
He should no more be in prison than Mr. Hicks should. He is no more a hero than you would call obama.
Snowden is a welcomed whistleblower and should be treated as such.
That's my view on it.

I agree wholeheartly with you on Snowden.He knew he would be treated like those that told the truth about Benghazi and Fast & Furious.As long as the government can spy on every American this is wrong no matter how much they tell you that they aren't spying on you. Can you imagine Obutthole finding out your against him he'll go and check your phone calls so he can send the IRS or Holder after you.

I do not see everything but, I do not recall any IRS criminals going to prison in the last 5 years.If I were sending people to prison,Snowden would come long after a boat full of the obama administration, including the killer, clinton. Obama and hillary should be sharing prison grub or worse right now.

1.) He first goes to the Inspector General of his agency
2.) and, then, if that doesn’t work, to the relevant committee in Congress.
3.) If that doesn’t work, he goes to the media and allows himself to be arrested in public so the Feds cannot bury his existence.
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With all due consideration of all 3 sides… Snowden did the right thing.
1.) He knew what he did would NEVER get to the Inspector General, IG i's WAY to busy with his stuff. Ask anyone who wanted to talk to him (the IG).
2.) It would NEVER get past Congress, IN FACT in today's government Snowden knew he would be immediately put into isolation. That is a time honored PROVEN FACT since the 1960's.
3.) AHHhh the media. (SEE #2) then Congress & the pres. would dismiss Snowden as a lunatic.
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Snowden did the right thing and IT IS WORKING. Americans are waking up to all the illegal wire tapping, etc. etc. etc's.
He knew he had to get far away from those who can capture him too easily and remove him from the face of the Earth.
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You Go Snowden and expose more internal corruption. American needs a REAL GOOD house cleaning.

Amen, Brother! Obama has already selectively killed off an IG or two now. Congress is absolutely useless and in the tank for Obama. Just look at what the Congress has done since Snowden's revelations were exposed: NOTHING!!! The "CON"gress couldn't give a rat's a$$ about our Constitutional rights against unreasonable search and seizure. Only a fool would not know this by now, plus they are all Israel's B!tch. The NSA is spying for Israel, and the Congress and the entire US government for that matter is blackmailed by Israel via the NSA or via bribery through AIPAC. Snowden knows quite well what happened to Andrew Breitbart, Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, Michael Hastings, Senator Paul Wellstone, and Gary Webb. If Snowden is guilty of anything, it's not telling us ENOUGH information to take this US Mafia in the District of Criminals down forever. I was hoping he had some info on Mossad's and Buswh's and the dual Israeli/US citizens' (Sayanim's) involvement with 9/11/01. He did tell us that the US Mafia NSA has all sorts of blackmail on Congress Criminals, judges, media figures, and government officials (INCLUDING IG'S). Now, if he knows ALL OF THESE BASTARDS ARE COMPROMISED, WHY ON EARTH WOULD HE NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO GET HIS MESSAGE OUT. Do any of you really believe the CIA/CFR-controlled US State Propaganda Ministry would give him the time of day if he were to approach them or get arrested. NO!!! They would put him in one of their many CIA prisons for life and cite the un-Constitutional NDAA or Patriot Act as justification for their actions.

Disgusting, isn't it.
I knew America was in trouble but the real trouble started when Bush Jr said:
"It's just a G*D D*MN piece of paper". He was relating to our Constitution of the United States of America. How can a president who sworn to uphold it say ANYTHING against it? Can that be called treasonous?

If Bush Jr.. said that please point me to where this is written, or to a speech in which he said it. I Know I did read Obama stated the US Constitution is an document written by old men and is outdated and restricts his movements. What a laugh– No one restricts his movements when it comes to US Law or the Great Constitution, he simply ignores both. Something is amiss in the USA when a President disrespects the very document he swore to uphold. Come to think of A sitting member od the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsberg,was quoted recently saying she preferred the Constitution of South Africa than the US Constitution. What ever happened to the patriotism our country was noted for??

Are you a mental midget or what…your 1st paragraph states "… He first goes to the Inspector General of his agency and, then, if that doesn’t work, to the relevant committee in Congress…."
These entities and the rest in "HIGH" places are so bought and paid for that what your statement really reads is that he should duct tape his hand to a trigger of a loaded shotgun , point it at his head and THEN go visit these bastards that $old us out long before Snowden ever showed up and actually created the environment for a Snowden to appear!!! If we had a government that actually gave shite about us then I would want to learn more before I shake up the guy with the shotgun aimed at his own head…
In my book he may be guilty of trying to save your miserable life and then because of our despots in Washington he was forced into situations that were inevitable…
Please do us all a favor and stay away from your keyboard and stick to crusing porn on your internet time…Better Yet move to D.C. and see if "THEY" give a shite about you when your their good ol neighbor!

Snowden went to Hong Kong. It was a British common wealth until 1997. It remains a Capitalistic country until 2047 as a minimum. To say Hong Kong is Red China is idiotic. Recommend a visit. It's the shopping mecca of the world. What Snowden did was totally different than what Obama's administration does daily. Snowden as trying to protect the public from government coercion whereas the IRS was trying to coerce political opposition… big, big difference. To say Snowden should have went to some government bureaucrats with Eric Holder as attorney general, Obama's squeegee man, would be suicide. Three things about Snowden, he's no dummy, he's really brave, and he has a conscience. Those are traits I admire.

Exactly!!! Hong Kong is not "Red China" at all. It still enjoys a certain degree of autonomy from the Red Chinese government. In addition, to being a shopping mecca, Hong Kong is known for its embrace of human rights and democratic principles. Snowden did his homework. Whoever wrote this article is either a clueless, blithering idiot, who knows NOTHING about how the US Mafia in the District of Criminals operates, or is writing nonsense propaganda on behalf of Israel or the State Propaganda Ministry, both of whom have MANY SECRETS to hide from the American People they despise.

Fred Wienberg, you're about the most naive person to have ever been given the privilege of writing an article and having it posted on the internet. Do you actually believe that Snowden would not have disappeared faster than snow falling in Texas? You can trust this government if you like but don't expect anyone else to trust them.

I think his reason here is escaping "Personal Persecution". He knew that if he stayed the Obama govt would arrest him and bury him so deep and quickly that his findings would never be brought to the forefront of the country. When the corrupt congressmen start yelling about being a traitor you know that he done the right thing.

Weinberg, you are an ass for typing this comment. Please unplug your computer and throw it away because you are too f'ing stupid to use it. Snowden did us all a favor in this 'blacked out' market obummer has created. Those that believe obummer really are worse than pond scum, just look at how the obummercare farce is playing out if you doubt me. Our government is out of control and the only way to bring it back in control will be a bloody mess, it has too much power for the vote to work anymore.

All you have to do is read the JEWISH PROTOCOLS written in the 1800's but plotted 2600 years ago to know what is occurring in our government…..they are the synagogue of satan….

As for Snowden…HE NEEDS TO EXPOSE EVERYTHING ON EVERYONE IN CONGRESS….then the elites have NOTHING TO HOLD OVER THEIR HEADS IN ORDER TO GET WHAT THEY DEMAND. That WOULD IMMENSELY SLOW DOWN THE ONE WORLD TAKEOVER. HE ESPECIALLY NEEDS TO TELL ALL ABOUT THE VATICAN …..THE UN….THE CROWN…….ALL DIRT ON HILLARY, OB, CHRISTIE, ANYONE WE WANT TO LOOSE OFFICE OR WANT OUT OF GOVERNMENT…..TURN THE TIDES.

We have had JOE MCCARTHY in the 50's, ROSS PEROT in the 80's, TED CRUZ now, SNOWDEN, whom have all tried in their owns ways to EXPOSE the beast ruling our government. Yet the Jew run media whom is FINED AND PENALIZED if say anything wrong and MUST ASK PERMISSION BEFORE EXPOSING ANYTHING . Hence try to humiliate anyone that gets in their path, or blackmail, or threaten, or murder them, or make them out as lunatics, or criminals. When IN REALITY it is the other way around. This entire DC bunch needs to be eradicated.

The Israeli Mossad was involved in the assassination of JFK once he threatened their nuclear aspirations at Dimona. 6 months later, they killed him. They then set upon a campaign to bribe, blackmail, and infiltrate the entire US government, the US Pentagon, the CIA, the FBI, the State Department, the Justice Department, the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchanges Commission, and the State Propaganda Ministry in order to protect Israel and even commit false-flags on Israel's behalf like 9/11/01. We are an occupied country and there hasn't even been a shot fired!!! The Masonic B'nai Brith Zionists are in collusion with the 33rd degree Freemasons in order to establish their goal of a globalist New World Order. The day you can wrap your skull around this is the day you will see your government for what it truly is: a bunch of bribed and blackmailed criminals, sellouts, and traitors that can only be described as a Mafia.

Obama recently tried to kill another CIA whistleblower, Jim Garrow, who currently resides somewhere undisclosed in Canada. Jim Garrow blew the whistle on why over 200+ Generals and Admirals have been dismissed by Obama in his purge. They have been dismissed for not agreeing to fire on US citizens. He also blew the whistle about the detonated nuclear bomb an Admiral took 650 miles off the coast of South Carolina anddetonmated underwater. This nuclear bomb was an EMP-type device that could have killed off 90% of the US population and most of the Canadian population within one year. He also said the two Generals who were recently fired have two nuclear bombs they have hidden to play a game of cat and mouse with Obama should he try any more false-flag stunts like he wanted to do to the American People. He recently divulged this information on the Hagmann and Hagmann radio show. He was outed by Obama on September 30th, 2013. Three days later on October 3rd, 2013, he was fired for blowing the whistle. His car was recently sabotaged by the Obama administration right after he had this Hagmann and Hagmann interview two days ago on January 2nd, 2014…http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cfp-radio/2014/01/02…

So, please do tell me, do you still think Snowden is a traitor??? No, he's not a damn fool like the idiot who wrote this article!!!